Text of Bin Laden Statement Urging ‘Martyrs’ to Join Jihad

Here is the text of Osama bin Laden’s statement as provided Monday by the Al Jazeera television news network, based in Qatar, and translated from Arabic by Associated Press:

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Sunday, 6 Rajab 1422

[Sept. 23, 2001]

And for martyrs from their God

their reward and light

To our Muslim brothers in Pakistan.

Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and his blessings.

I received with great sorrow the news of the murder of some of our Muslim brothers in [the Pakistani city of] Karachi while they were expressing their opposition to the American crusade forces and their allies on the lands of Muslims in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

We ask Allah to accept them as martyrs and include them with prophets, their followers, martyrs, good doers and the like and ask that their families be gifted with patience and consolation, and bless their children and money, and reward well for their Islam.

Whoever of them left children behind, they are my children, and I am their caretaker, Allah willing.

It is no wonder that the Muslim nation in Pakistan would rush to defend its Islam, since it is considered the first line of defense for Islam in this area, just like Afghanistan was the first line of defense for itself and for Pakistan before the Russian invasion more than 20 years ago.

We hope that these brothers are among the first martyrs in Islam’s battle in this era against the new Christian-Jewish crusade led by the big crusader Bush under the flag of the Cross; this battle is considered one of Islam’s battles . . . [text illegible].

We incite our Muslim brothers in Pakistan to give everything they own and are capable of to push the American crusade forces from invading Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: Whoever didn’t fight, or prepare a fighter, or take good care of a fighter’s family, Allah will strike him with a catastrophe before Judgment Day.

I announce to you the good news my loved brothers that we are steadfast on the path of jihad for the sake of Allah, following the example of the Prophet, peace be upon him, with the heroic, faithful Afghan people, under the leadership of our fighter emir, who is proud of his religion, the prince of the faithful, Mullah Mohammed Omar.

We ask Allah to make him victorious over the forces of infidels and tyranny, and to crush the new Christian-Jewish crusade on the land of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

If Allah makes you victorious, none will defeat you and if he fails you, who after him will make you victorious and on Allah the faithful shall trust.

Your brother in Islam

Osama bin Mohammed

bin Laden